Hydrangea plant named ‘Lynn’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hydrangea  plant named ‘Lynn’, characterized by its upright and mounded plant habit; strong roots and stems; strong and dark green-colored leaves; and large lacecap-type inflorescences with intense pink-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Hydrangea macryophylla.

Cultivar denomination: ‘LYNN’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea, botanically known as Hydrangea macrophylla and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Lynn’.

The new Hydrangea is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Grand Haven, Mich. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new Hydrangeas with attractive foliage and flower coloration.

The new Hydrangea originated from an open-pollination in July, 2003 of the Hydrangea macrophylla cultivar Bailmer, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,298, as the female, or seed parent and an unknown selection of Hydrangea macrophylla. The cultivar Lynn was discovered and selected by the Inventor in May, 2005 as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Grand Haven, Mich.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by softwood cuttings in Grand Haven, Mich. since June, 2005 has shown that the unique features of this new Hydrangea plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Lynn has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Lynn’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Lynn’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea:

-   -   1. Upright and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Strong roots and stems.     -   3. Strong and dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Large lacecap-type inflorescences with intense pink-colored         flowers.

Plants of the new Hydrangea differ from plants of the female parent, the cultivar Bailmer, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hydrangea have darker green-colored leaves         than plants of the cultivar Bailmer.     -   2. Plants of the new Hydrangea have lacecap-type inflorescences         whereas plants of the cultivar Bailmer have mophead-type         inflorescences.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Hydrangea have larger sepals         than flowers of plants of the cultivar Bailmer.     -   4. Sepals of plants of the new Hydrangea are brighter pink in         color than sepals of plants of the cultivar Bailmer.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can be compared to plants of the cultivar Kardinal, not patented. Plants of the new Hydrangea differ from plants of the cultivar Kardinal in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hydrangea have smaller and darker         green-colored leaves than plants of the cultivar Kardinal.     -   2. Plants of the new Hydrangea have broader, but shorter         inflorescences than plants of the cultivar Kardinal.     -   3. Plants of the new Hydrangea do not require vernalization         treatments to flower whereas plants of the cultivar Kardinal         require vernalization treatments to flower.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the unique appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Hydrangea.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Lynn’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Lynn’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and in the following description were grown in Grand Haven, Mich. in ground beds in an outdoor nursery and under conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions. Plants of the new Hydrangea were about 2.5 years old when the photographs and description were taken during the summer.

-   Botanical description: Hydrangea macrophylla cultivar Lynn. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Hydrangea macrophylla cultivar             Bailmer, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,298.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Hydrangea             macrophylla, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—By softwood cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About ten days at temperatures of             about 24° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 40 days at             temperatures of about 24° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form/growth habit.—Perennial shrub. Upright and mounded             plant habit; broadly inverted triangle. Strong lateral             branches; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 59 cm.         -   Plant diameter or area of spread.—About 75 cm.         -   Branching habit.—When pinched, freely branching with about             seven lateral branches per plant.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 55 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.             Internode length: About 8 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Strength: Strong. Color: 144B with speckles, 59A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 14 cm.         -   Width.—About 9 cm.         -   Shape.—Oblanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Rugose; glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper and lower surfaces: 143C.             Fully expanded foliage, upper and lower surfaces: 137A;             venation, 143C.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 3.2 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: 143C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single sterile and fertile flowers             arranged on terminal lacecap-type panicles. Flowers face             upright or outward. Flowers not fragrant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Continuous flowering from June to             August in Grand Haven, Mich. Plants begin flowering about             105 days after pinching.         -   Flower longevity, fertile flowers.—Flowers last about two to             three weeks on the plant and about two weeks as a cut             flower; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower longevity, sterile flowers.—Flowers last about three             months on the plant and about three weeks as a cut flower;             flowers persistent.         -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering; about 337 fertile             flowers and about 30 sterile flowers per panicle.         -   Panicle height.—About 9.5 cm.         -   Panicle diameter.—About 25 cm.         -   Flower diameter, fertile flowers.—About 9 mm.         -   Flower depth (height), fertile flowers.—About 5 mm.         -   Flower diameter, sterile flowers.—About 6.5 cm.         -   Flower depth (height), sterile flowers.—About 7 cm.         -   Flower buds, fertile and sterile flowers.—Length: About             3 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Shape: Globular. Color: 62B.         -   Petals, fertile flowers only.—Arrangement: Four in a single             whorl. Length: About 4 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate, cupped. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: 62B.             When opening and fully opened, lower surface: 62B.         -   Sepals, fertile flowers.—Quantity per flower: Five in a             single whorl. Length: About 1 mm. Width: About 0.5 mm.             Shape: Deltoid. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             When opening, upper and lower surfaces: 42B. Fully opened,             upper and lower surfaces: 42B.         -   Sepals, sterile flowers.—Quantity per flower: Four in a             single whorl. Length: About 2.5 cm. Width: About 3 cm.             Shape: Broadly ovate. Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Broadly             cuneate. Margin: Entire to slightly serrated. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening             and fully opened, upper surface: 66B. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: 66D.         -   Peduncles, fertile and sterile flowers.—Angle: Erect to             about 15° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Length: About             6.2 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: 59C.         -   Pedicels, fertile flowers.—Angle: Erect to about 15° from             vertical. Strength: Strong. Length: About 5 mm. Diameter:             About 1 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 59C.         -   Pedicels, sterile flowers.—Angle: About 10° to about 20°             from vertical. Strength: Strong. Length: About 2.5 cm.             Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 65C.         -   Reproductive organs, fertile flowers only.—Stamens: None             observed. Pistils: Pistil quantity per flower: About four.             Pistil length: About 7 mm. Stigma shape: Round. Stigma             color: 65C. Style length: About 2 mm. Style color: 42B to             42C. Ovary color: 42B.         -   Seeds.—Quantity per inflorescence: Numerous. Size: Less than             0.1 mm by less than 0.1 mm. Color: Close to 200D. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Hydrangea have been     observed to be resistant to Powdery Mildew. Plants of the new     Hydrangea have not been observed to be resistant to pests or other     pathogens common to Hydrangea. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Hydrangea have been shown     to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about −27° C. to about     37° C. 

1. A new and distinct Hydrangea plant named ‘Lynn’ as illustrated and described. 